A taxonomic update 20 years after the book release “The amphibians and reptiles of a lowland forest reserve in Vietnam”- Ho Ke Go: implications for conservation
Author affiliations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15625/2615-9023/17102Keywords:
Ha Tinh Province, conservation, herpetofauna, new records, taxonomyAbstract
We provide a taxonomic update of the herpetofauna of the Ke Go Nature Reserve, Ha Tinh province, north-central Vietnam, 20 years after the book release “The amphibians and reptiles of a lowland forest reserve in Vietnam”. In this work, Ziegler (2002) recorded 31 amphibians and 57 reptiles. Since then 30 changes in the generic assignment of species took place, five of six unnamed identifications could be solved, three unclear identifications clarified, and 12 taxa were newly described. This review has not only significance for updated names of taxa listed in the book and follow-up papers, but also for conservation. Reviews and descriptions resulted in taxa with more restricted distributions, such as, e.g., Gekko reevesii (formerly G. gekko, listed on CITES Appendix II and in the Red Data Book) and Pelodiscus variegatus (formerly P. sinensis, listed in the IUCN Red List, and split off taxa on CITES Appendix II). More species meanwhile are listed as threatened (in total 25), and for some of them, the threat status has increased in the meantime. In addition to the 88 amphibian and reptile species recorded by Ziegler (2002), three further records are added herein, resulting in 91 proven species. There is also evidence for the occurrence of 10 further reptile species, which would increase the herpetofauna list to 101. One half of these 10 additional reptile species are threatened which would increase the threatened herpetofauna to 30 species. This highlights the need for improved conservation, both concerning the official protection status of so far not yet officially listed threatened taxa and IUCN’s One Plan Approach conservation, covering in situ conservation measures and ex situ conservation breeding approaches. Representing one of Vietnam’s last remaining lowland forests with a high biodiversity and conservation value, the Ke Go Nature Reserve highly deserves reinforced conservation measures.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Bain R. H., Lathrop A., Murphy R. W., Orlov N. L., Ho C. T., 2003. Cryptic species of a cascade frog from Southeast Asia: taxonomic revisions and descriptions of six new species. American Museum Novitates, 3417: 1–60.
Bain R. H., Nguyen T. Q., 2004. Three new species of narrow-mouthed frogs (genus Microhyla) from Indochina, with comments on Microhyla annamensis and Microhyla palmipes. Copeia, 2004: 507–524.
Blanck T., McCord W. P., Le M., 2006. On the variability of Cuora trifasciata (Bell, 1825), the rediscovery of the type specimen, with descriptions of a new Cuora species and subspecies, and remarks on the distribution, habitat and vulnerability of these species. Frankfurt: Chimaira, pp. 152.
David P., Bain R. H., Nguyen T. Q., Orlov N. L., Vogel G., Vu T. N., Ziegler T., 2007. A new species of the natricine snake genus Amphiesma from the Indochinese Region (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae). Zootaxa, 1462: 41–60.
David P., Das I., Vogel G., 2011. On some taxonomic and nomenclatural problems in Indian species of the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae). Zootaxa, 2799: 1–14.
David P., Nadolski B., Ganesh S. R., Adhikari O. D., Srikanthan A. N., 2022. A nomenclatural review of Ahaetulla nasuta (Lacépède, 1789): resurrection of Ahaetulla fusca (Duméril, Bibron et Duméril, 1854) for the populations of the Indochinese region (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae). Russian Journal of Herpetology, 29(1): 19–34.
David P., Vidal N., Pauwels O. S. G., 2001. A morphological study of Stejneger's pitviper Trimeresurus stejnegeri (Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae), with the description of a new species from Thailand. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 8(3): 205–222.
David P., Vogel G., Nguyen T. Q., Orlov N. L., Pauwels O. S. G., Teynié A., Ziegler T., 2021. A revision of the dark-bellied, stream-dwelling snakes of the genus Hebius (Reptilia: Squamata: Natricidae) with the description of a new species from China, Vietnam and Thailand. Zootaxa, 4911(1): 001–061.
David P., Vogel G., 2021. Taxonomic composition of the Rhabdophis subminiatus (Schlegel, 1837) species complex (Reptilia: Natricidae) with the description of a new species from China. Taprobanica, 10(2): 89–120.
Farkas B., Ziegler T., Pham C. T., Ong A. V., Fritz U., 2019. A new species of Pelodiscus from northeastern Indochina (Testudines: Trionychidae). ZooKeys, 824: 71–86.
Fritz U., Guicking D., Auer M., Sommer R. S., Wink M., Hundsdörfer A. K., 2008. Diversity of the Southeast Asian leaf turtle genus Cyclemys: how many leaves on its tree of life? Zoologica Scripta. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008. 00332
Frost D. R., 2021. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.1 (Date of access). Electronic Database accessible at https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. https://doi.org/10.5531/db.vz.0001
Garg S., Suyesh R., Das I., Jiang J.-P., Wijayathilaka N., Amarasinghe A. A. T., Alhadi F., Vineeth K. K., Aravind N. A., Senevirathne G., Meegaskumbura M., Biju S. D., 2019. Systematic revision of Microhyla (Microhylidae) frogs of South Asia: a molecular, morphological, and acoustic assessment. Vertebrate Zoology, 69: 1–71.
Guo P., Zhu F., Liu Q., Wang P., Che J., Nguyen T. Q., 2020. Out of the Hengduan Mountains: Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of the Asian water snake genus Trimerodytes (Squamata: Colubridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 152: 106927.
Hasan M. K., Islam M. M., Kuramoto M., Kurabayashi A., Sumida M., 2014. Description of two new species of Microhyla (Anura: Microhylidae) from Bangladesh. Zootaxa, 3755: 401–408.
Hecht V. L., Pham C. T., Nguyen T. T., Nguyen T. Q., Bonkowski M., Ziegler T., 2013. First Report on the herpetofauna of Tay Yen Tu Nature Reserve, northeastern Vietnam. Biodiversity Journal, 4(4): 507–552.
Hoang C. V., Nguyen T. T., Ninh H. T., Luong A.M., Pham C. T., Nguyen T. Q., Orlov N. L., Chen Y., Wang B., Ziegler T., Jiang J., 2021. Two new cryptic species of Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae) related to the M. heymonsi group from central Vietnam. ZooKeys, 1036: 47–74.
Huang R., Peng L., Yu L., Huang T., Jiang K., Ding L., Chang J., Yang D., Xu Y., Huang S., 2021. A New Species of the Genus Achalinus from Huangshan, Anhui, China (Squamata: Xenodermidae. Asian Herpetological Research, 12(2): 178–187.
IUCN, 2022. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021−3. <https://www.iucnredlist.org>
Köhler G., Vargas J., Than N. L., Schell T., Janke A., Pauls S. U., Thammachoti, P., 2021. A taxonomic revision of the genus Phrynoglossus in Indochina with the description of a new species and comments on the classification within Occidozyginae (Amphibia, Anura, Dicroglossidae). Vertebrate Zoology, 71, 2021: 1–26.
Köhler G., Zwitzers B., Than N. L., Gupta D. K., Janke A., Pauls S. U., Thammachoti P., 2021. Bioacoustics reveal hidden diversity in frogs: Two new species of the genus Limnonectes from Myanmar (Amphibia, Anura, Dicroglossidae). Diversity, 13 (399): 1–35.
Krzikowski M. C., Nguyen T. Q., Pham C. T., Rödder D., Rauhaus A., Le M. D., Ziegler T., 2022. Assessment of the threat status of the amphibians in Vietnam - Implementation of the One Plan Approach. Nature Conservation, 49: 77-116.
Le T. T., Nguyen D. H., Nguyen C., Le C. V., Eames J. C., Chicoine G., 1999. An investment plan for Ke Go Nature Reserve, Ha Tinh province, Vietnam: a contribution to the management plan. Hanoi: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute.
Lunde D. P., Musser G. G., Ziegler T., 2004. Description of a new species of Crocidura (Soricomorpha: Soricidae, Crocidurinae) from Ke Go Nature reserve, Vietnam. – Mammal Study, 29: 27−36.
Luong A. M., Hoang C. V., Pham C. T., Nguyen T. T., Orlov N., Ziegler T., Nguyen T. Q., 2022. A new species of Xenophrys (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Truong Son Range, Vietnam. Zootaxa, 5150 (3): 333–356.
Luu V. Q., Nguyen T. Q., Pham C. T., Dang K. N., Vu T. N., Miskovic S., Bonkowski M., Ziegler T., 2013. No end in sight? Further new records of amphibians and reptiles from Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province, Vietnam. Biodiversity Journal, 4(2): 285–300.
Mahony S., Kamei R. G., Teeling E. C., Biju S. D., 2018. Cryptic diversity within the Megophrys major species group (Amphibia: Megophryidae) of the Asian Horned Frogs: Phylogenetic perspectives and a taxonomic revision of South Asian taxa, with descriptions of four new species. Zootaxa, 4523(1): 1–96.
Mallik A. K., Srikanthan A. N., Pal S. P., D’Souza P. M., Shanker K., Ganesh S. R., 2020. Disentangling vines: a study of morphological crypsis and genetic divergence in vine snakes (Squamata: Colubridae: Ahaetulla) with the description of five new species from Peninsular India. Zootaxa, 4874 (1): 1–62.
Nguyen T. Q., Schmitz A., Nguyen T. T., Orlov N. L., Böhme W., Ziegler T., 2011. Review of the genus Sphenomorphus Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Sauria: Scincidae) in Vietnam, with description of a new species from northern Vietnam and southern China and the first record of Sphenomorphus mimicus Taylor, 1962 from Vietnam. Journal of Herpetology, 45(2): 145–154.
Nishikawa K., Matsui M., Yoshikawa N., Khonsue W., Pomchote P., Hibino M., Nguyen T. T., Sanamxay D., 2021. Ichthyophis bannanicus Yang, 1984, a junior subjective synonym of I. kohtaoensis Taylor, 1960 (Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Ichthyophiidae). Alytes, 38: 1–17.
Ohler A., Wollenberg K. C., Grosjean S., Hendrix R., Vences M., Ziegler T., Dubois A., 2011. Sorting out Lalos: description of new species and additional taxonomic data on megophryid frogs from northern Indochina (genus Leptolalax, Megophryidae, Anura). Zootaxa, 3147: 1–83.
Peng. L.-F., Zhang Y., Huang S, Burbrink F. T., Chen J.-M., Hou M., Zhu Y.-W., Yang H., Wang J.-C., 2021. A new snake species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler, 1828 (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Hainan Island, China. Zoological Research 42(4): 487−491.
Pham A. V., Nguyen T. Q., Pham C. T., Le M. D., Ngo H. T., Ong A. V., Ziegler T., submitted. A new odd-scaled snake species from northern Vietnam. Zootaxa.
Pham C. T., An H. T., Herbst S., Bonkowski M., Ziegler T., Nguyen T. Q., 2017. First report on the amphibian fauna of Ha Lang karst forest, Cao Bang province, Vietnam. Bonn Zoological Bulletin, 66(1): 37−53.
Pham C. T., Do Q. H., Ngo H. N., Tran T. T., Ziegler T., Nguyen T. Q., 2020. First report on the anuran fauna of Hai Ha forest, Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. Check List, 16: 1025–1041.
Pham C. T., Le M. D., Ngo H. T., Ziegler T., Nguyen T. Q., 2018. A new species of Limnonectes (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa, 4508(1): 115–130.
Pham C. T., Phan T. Q., Do D. T., Nguyen T. Q., 2019. New provincial records of the genus Limnonectes (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Vietnam. Tap chi Sinh hoc, 41(1-2): 169–176.
Poyarkov N. A. Jr., Nguyen T. V., Popov E. S., Geissler P., Pawangkhanant P., Neang T., Suwannapoom C., Orlov N. L., 2021. Recent progress in taxonomic studies, biogeographic analysis, and revised checklist of amphibians of Indochina. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 28 (3A): 1–110.
Poyarkov N. A. Jr., Nguyen T. V., Trofimets A. V., Gorin V. A., 2020. A new cryptic species of the genus Microhyla (Amphibia: Microhylidae) from Langbian Plateau, Vietnam. Taprobanica. The Journal of Asian Biodiversity, 9: 136–163.
Rösler H., Bauer A. M., Heinicke M. P., Greenbaum E., Jackman T., Nguyen T. Q., Ziegler T., 2011. Phylogeny, taxonomy, and zoogeography of the genus Gekko Laurenti, 1768 with the revalidation of G. reevesii Gray, 1831 (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa, 2989: 1–50.
Rowley J. J. L., Stuart B. L., Richards S. J., Phimmachak S., Sivongxay N., 2010. A new species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Laos. Zootaxa, 2681: 35–46.
Siler C. D., Heitz B. B., Davis D. R., Freitas E. S., Aowphol A., Termprayoon K., Grismer L. L., 2018. New Supple Skink, Genus Lygosoma (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae), from Indochina and Redescription of Lygosoma quadrupes (Linnaeus, 1766). Journal of Herpetology, 52 (3): 332–347.
Stenger L., 2022. Assessing the Threat Status of the Reptiles of Vietnam – Implementation of the One Plan Approach. Bachelor thesis, University of Cologne.
Tordoff A. W., Tran B. Q., Nguyen T. D., Le H. M.. eds., 2004. Sourcebook of existing and proposed protected areas in Vietnam. 2nd ed. Hanoi: BirdLife International in Indochina and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Tran K., Ho C. T., Nguyen S. V., Pham T., 2007. in Dang N. T., Tran K., Dang H. H., Nguyen C., Nguyen T. N., Nguyen Y. H., Dang D. T., Eds. Vietnam Red Data Book. Part I. Animals: 219–276 + 8 pls.
Uetz P., Freed P., Aguilar R., Hosek J., eds., 2022. The Reptile Database, http://www.reptile-database.org, accessed March 2022.
Vogel G., David P., Pauwels O.S.G., Sumontha M., Norval G., Hendrix R., Vu T. N., Ziegler T., 2009. A revision of Lycodon ruhstrati (Fischer 1886) auctorum (Squamata Colubridae), with the description of a new species from Thailand and a new subspecies from the Asian mainland. Tropical Zoology, 22: 131–182.
Vogel G., Nguyen T. V., Lalremsanga H. T., Biakzuala L., Hrima V., Poyarkov N. A., 2020. Taxonomic reassessment of the Pareas margaritophorus-macularius species complex (Squamata, Pareidae). Vertebrate Zoology, 70(4): 547−569.
Wang J., Li Y., Zeng Z.-C., Lyu Z.-T., Sung Y.-H., Li Y.-Y., Lin C.-Y., Wang Y.-Y., 2019. A new species of the genus Achalinus from southwestern Guangdong province, China (Squamata: Xenodermatidae). Zootaxa, 4674 (4): 471–481.
You, C.-W., Nikolay A. P. Jr, Lin S.-M., 2015. Diversity of the snail-eating snakes Pareas (Serpentes, Pareatidae) from Taiwan. Zoologica Scripta 44: 349-361.
Yu G.-h., Rao D.-q., Matsui M., Yang J.-x., 2017. Coalescent-based delimitation outperforms distance-based methods for delineating less divergent species: the case of Kurixalus odontotarsus species group. Scientific Reports 7(16124): 1–13.
Ziegler, T. 2002. Die Amphibien und Reptilien eines Tieflandfeuchtwald-Schutzgebietes in Vietnam. Natur & Tier Verlag, Münster, pp. 342.
Ziegler T., Herrmann H.-W., Vu T. N., Le Q. K., Nguyen H. T., Cao C. X., Luu T. M., Dinh H. T., 2004. The amphibians and reptiles of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province, Vietnam. Hamadryad, 28(1-2): 19–42.
Ziegler T., Köhler J., 2001. Rhacophorus orlovi sp. n., ein neuer Ruderfrosch aus Vietnam (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae). Sauria, 23(3): 37–46.
Ziegler T., Nguyen T. T., Ong A. V., Pham C. T., Nguyen T. Q., 2020. In search of the Spotted Softshell Turtle in Vietnam: An implementation of the One Plan Approach. WAZA News 2020, 1: 24–27.
Ziegler T., Nguyen T. Q., Pham C. T., Nguyen T. T., Pham A. V., van Schingen M., Nguyen T. T., Le M. D., 2019. Three new species of the snake genus Achalinus from Vietnam (Squamata: Xenodermatidae). Zootaxa, 4590(2): 249–269.
Ziegler T., Ohler A., Vu T. N., Le Q. K., Nguyen T. X., Dinh T. H., Bui T. N., 2006. Review of the amphibian and reptile diversity of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and adjacent areas, central Truong Son, Vietnam. In: Vences M., Köhler J., Ziegler T., Böhme W. Eds. Herpetologia Bonnensis II: 247-262. Proceedings of the 13th Ordinary General Meeting of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica, Bonn, pp. 262.
Ziegler T., Pham C. T., Nguyen T. Q., Berger M., Ngo H. T., Le M. D., 2018. Erstnachweis der Weißlippen-Bambusotter (Trimeresurus albolabris) für Haiphong: Dokumentation einer ungewöhnlichen Farbvariante von der Insel Bach Long Vy im Golf von Tonkin, Nordvietnam und Identifizierung zuvor fehlbestimmter T. rubeus und T. cardamomensis aus Südvietnam. Sauria 40(2): 1–24.
Ziegler T., Vences M., 2002. The tadpole of Rhacophorus verrucosus BOULENGER, 1893 from Vietnam (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae). Faunistische Abhandlungen, Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde, Dresden 22(2): 319–327.
Ziegler T., Weitkus S., 1999a. Zur Herpetofauna eines nordvietnamesischen Küstenbiotops: Einnischung und Mageninhaltsuntersuchungen. Part 1. Herpetofauna, Weinstadt 21(121): 24–34.
Ziegler T. & Weitkus, S., 1999b. Zur Herpetofauna eines nordvietnamesischen Kustenbiotops: Einnischung und Mageninhaltsuntersuchungen. Teil, 1: 24−34.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
